Shropshire Star

Watch: £120,000 lottery delight for three Newtown neighbours

Three neighbours from Newtown are celebrating today after scooping a share of £120,000.

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Ross Varley and his prize cheque

The trio scooped the cash when SY16 2DZ was announced as a winner in this week's People’s Postcode Lottery. The win saw two of the Milford Road residents picking up cheques for £30,000 each, while the third netted themselves £60,000 thanks to playing with two tickets.

Grandfather Ross Varley, 53 was the lucky double ticket holder. When he saw what he’d won he kissed his cheque and exclaimed: “You beauty!”

He added: “I feel like a right lucky so and so. I haven’t got a middle name so I guess Lucky will do from now on, won’t it?”

Possibilities

Ross, who works as a teacher in a pupil referral unit, described the experience as surreal and said: “Earlier on today I was coming out the gym and found a penny on the ground, I’ve found many a penny before but I picked this one up and spat on it and had a funny feeling something good would happen and here we are.

“You live in hope for a moment like this so I can’t believe it, it’s just sinking in now. This opens a world of possibilities and means I’ll be in a comfortable head space not having to worry about money. I’m just made up.

“Myself and my wife Trisha have always dreamt of buying a caravan at the park up the road where it’s so beautiful and quiet. It was always a bit of a distant dream, but not anymore it isn’t. I’ve got two children and my granddaughter also just recently turned one, so I’ll put a bit aside for them too. It’s not just me that’s won, but the whole family has.”

The remaining two winners couldn’t be there to collect their cheque in person, but the prize will be paid into their bank account.

Presenting Ross with his golden envelope was fellow Welshman and People’s Postcode Lottery ambassador Matt Johnson. He said: “It’s always a pleasure coming home to Wales and it’s been made all the better by getting hand over a lovely big cheque to Ross and make his day. I hope he has a great time spoiling his family with the windfall.”

A minimum of 32 per cent of ticket sales goes directly to charities and players of People’s Postcode Lottery have helped raise more than £474 million to date for good causes across Great Britain and internationally.